More on Patents by 3D Systems

From: ChathamRes@aol.com
Date: Wed Apr 26 2000 - 12:53:18 EEST


This message is forwarded as a response to our estimate that the cost of
getting a patent is approximately $15K. We thought that it might be of
interest to you.

In a message dated 4/25/00 10:40:54 PM Eastern Daylight Time, PENQUAKR74
@aol.com writes:

<< Trust me if you can get a patent for $15,000, you are doing good.
Maintenance fees are not that bad in the US over time, but they can get
pretty bad in foreign countries where the fees kick in the 3rd thru 5th year
and escalate each year thereafter. Typically, you will be able to get a
patent filed for about 4-6K. Then Prosecution will cost about the same.
Very few patents are allowed on the first office action so you can expect a
very expensive prosecution in a crowded field like RP. Then you have file
PCT within one year. That will cost about 3-4K, naming all the countries of
the world. You pay for 7 countries and the rest are free, so why not name
them all if you go for the seven industrialized countries. It can get
expensive when the patent actually issues also. You get a last chance to
make corrections. This costs. You also have to submit final drawings and
schematics or flow charts. It's closer to 20,000 for a patent to issue and
be worth anything. Patent agents a can save you money so they are worth
considering. They are also usually subject matter experts.
 
 It will be interesting when 3D's patents start to expire, but It's still
going to be long time. Meanwhile keep filing your own so that you have
something to bargain with.
 

Regards
Chatham Research
REH

http://members.aol.com/ChathamRes/ChathamRes.html


attached mail follows:


Trust me if you can get a patent for $15,000, you are doing good.
Maintenance fees are not that bad in the US over time, but they can get
pretty bad in foreign countries where the fees kick in the 3rd thru 5th year
and escalate each year thereafter. Typically, you will be able to get a
patent filed for about 4-6K. Then Prosecution will cost about the same.
Very few patents are allowed on the first office action so you can expect a
very expensive prosecution in a crowded field like RP. Then you have file
PCT within one year. That will cost about 3-4K, naming all the countries of
the world. You pay for 7 countries and the rest are free, so why not name
them all if you go for the seven industrialized countries. It can get
expensive when the patent actually issues also. You get a last chance to
make corrections. This costs. You also have to submit final drawings and
schematics or flow charts. It's closer to 20,000 for a patent to issue and
be worth anything. Patent agents a can save you money so they are worth
considering. They are also usually subject matter experts.

It will be interesting when 3D's patents start to expire, but It's still
going to be long time. Meanwhile keep filing your own so that you have
something to bargain with.

Scott Taper
VP, Business Development
ParaMorph Systems Corp. (an SRI/Phase 2 Automation venture)
331 E. Warren Ave.
Fremont, Ca 94539
510-249-0400 x3008
Fax: 510-249-0401
Mobile: 650-444-2572
E-mail: penquakr74@aol.com

For more information about the rp-ml, see http://ltk.hut.fi/rp-ml/



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